King Arthur: The Role-playing Wargame

[Velorath]

Been waiting for a good Steam sale on this one.  They've got it at 66% off ($13.60) through Thursday at 4PM PDT.  Can also get it packed with Crusaders: Thy Kingdom Come and a couple King Arthur DLC units packs for $18.70 in the Neocore complete pack.

[Engels]

I've read a review or two, including one F13er who played this. Seemed like it may be worth it. Any others out there picked it up?

[Ingmar]

I liked it, although it has plenty of weird balance issues.

[Paelos]

It's slow when you start, and you have to constantly be wary about moving too fast into new territories or pissing off the wrong people, because if you do that, you lose.

[NiX]

It's slow when you start, and you have to constantly be wary about moving too fast into new territories or pissing off the wrong people, because if you do that, you lose.

Can you elaborate a bit? I'm hovering over the purchase button, but this made me hesitate.

[Paelos]

It's slow when you start, and you have to constantly be wary about moving too fast into new territories or pissing off the wrong people, because if you do that, you lose.

Can you elaborate a bit? I'm hovering over the purchase button, but this made me hesitate.

My experience is based on the fact that you have to go through the motions when you start the game, the setup of your one hero, the scripted event of your first battle, etc. What I didn't like about it was that quests seem to intentionally over-stretch your forces unless you know not to go headhunting. For example, early on you get a quest to claim your own city. However, if you actually try to do that, you'll get curbstomped. Instead, you have to basically know to go through several other smaller quests first, then hit them in the right order. Also, ranged troops are overwhelming early on and the balance is ridiculous. Stacking up on archers essentially means you win every battle if you upgrade their archery skills.

[Sky]

Knew I should have waited to buy this. Nice bundle, still haven't gotten around to loading it up yet.

[Bandit]

Also, ranged troops are overwhelming early on and the balance is ridiculous. Stacking up on archers essentially means you win every battle if you upgrade their archery skills.

I believe there is a setting to reduce archer damage.  They still have quite the advantage with this on I found.

Overall, I enjoyed the RPG elements to the game but I maybe played this a couple of nights and was done with it.  To many issues for me - aforementioned ranged advantage, the strategic point mechanic on map is a bit half-baked, a bit sluggish performance-wise, and I found it annoying that troops would charge when any enemy was nearby and disengaging did not seem to work very well for me.

I thought I would love this, but in hindsight I would not pick this up...even at that price point.  I give it credit for trying some interesting mechanics (rountable set-up etc.).

[Tarami]

I'm the opposite. I picked it up at full price and dont' regret it. Eventhough the combat is a little hit-and-miss I still think it's a fun game in the way more expensive productions aren't. It takes a few chances, scores a few points (the RPG integration works very well, IMHO) and loses a few (combat, difficulty curve.)

[Ingmar]

I'm the opposite. I picked it up at full price and dont' regret it. Eventhough the combat is a little hit-and-miss I still think it's a fun game in the way more expensive productions aren't. It takes a few chances, scores a few points (the RPG integration works very well, IMHO) and loses a few (combat, difficulty curve.)

Yes, this.

You basically just have to be very, very careful about overextending yourself, making too many troops, messing up your provinces, etc. Somewhat unusually for a wargame a single lost battle can be a game over sort of condition. Save a lot (and in different slots.)

It is kind of a mess honestly, but it is a fun mess.

[Paelos]

You basically just have to be very, very careful about overextending yourself, making too many troops, messing up your provinces, etc. Somewhat unusually for a wargame a single lost battle can be a game over sort of condition. Save a lot (and in different slots.)

Yes, this is essentially what broke the game for me. The game is pretty much on rails, but you absolutely cannot afford to lose a battle in the first tier. Nevermind the fact that you'll be pounded six ways from Sunday in one location should you try to attack a town in the same turn.

[Tarami]

The game is pretty much on rails [...]

Don't know if you meant that to be negative because to me it isn't. I very rarely replay games that take as long as most turn-based strategy games do so a more strict narrative suits me (and tentatively, others.)

I like the building and province management, too. It reminds me a lot of Lords of the Realm, which I used to adore.

Edit:
Turn-based RTS?

[Paelos]

It's a negative for one type of gamer I think they were shooting for. People that replay RPGs, from what I've seen, like to replay them with different characters or different setups and try different ways to complete the game. They generally like having lots of different choices or sidequests even if the storyline is linear in places. In that regard, I could see King Arthur fitting the bill.

However, I think that people who play war strategy aren't going to enjoy playing the same setup over and over again with similar battles. A Civ player, for example, wouldn't want to play on the same map forever, with the same faction, in the same start location. The same could be said of any Total War player. In that regard, I think the game being too linear doesn't offer much replay value for that type.

[shiznitz]

I enjoy the game so far but I agree that there doesn't seem to be a ton of replayability other than just getting a bit better at it or going a different alignment path.

I have completed all the quests up to conquer your own city. I have two armies and 3 "generals", each army is 1/2 archers. I have been disappointed with cavalry so far. They get slaughtered by archers and once they charge in, they stay there unless you order them to withdraw and re-charge (which I do but the AI doesn't).

One thing I don't get is the "control" point on the battlefield. They provide a benefit if you fight within their sphere of influence but my engagements are never within that sphere of influence.  The enemy either waits for me to come get them or we meet about halfway between two of these points.

[shiznitz]

Well, I just won a battle by controlling them all but that is hard to do unless you outnumber.